Breeders’ Cup participant hails from Bourbon Co., but is this mom’s year?

PARIS, Ky. (LEX 18) — Some say it’s bigger than the Kentucky Derby, and it’s happening this upcoming weekend.

The Breeders’ Cup returns to Santa Anita. 5-year-old Senor Buscador is running in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. While those at the farm are hoping for a win, they’re hoping it leads to good news for the mare.

“We’ve got Senor Buscador who we foaled and raised here, running in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” said Courtney Schneider with Shawhan Place, a farm in Bourbon County.

While Senor Buscador is getting ready for maybe the biggest race of his career, Rose’s Desert is at Shawhan Place — the same farm where Senor Buscador was foaled and raised. Farm leaders hope this can tack on a big win for the mare.

“She has had four foals to make it to the racetrack,” Schneider said. “All four have been stakes winners.”

Senor Buscador ran in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last year at Keeneland, finishing eighth.

As for Rose’s Desert, her first foal was nearly at the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby in 2018. Runaway Ghost was scratched the week leading up to the race Justify would claim, which was the first leg in his Triple Crown run. When Runaway Ghost was scratched, Rose’s Desert was pregnant with another foal.

“Oddly enough, it was Senor Buscador that she was in foal with at the time,” Schneider said.

Senor Buscador was born the day after the 2018 Kentucky Derby. So there’s some hope — this can be not only a big win for Senor Buscador, but a win for the entire family.